Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Jane Ira Bloom: Early Americans

One
doesn’t have an opportunity to review an individual who honestly can be
described as “the best” at anything. Well, Jane Ira Bloom is the world’s best soprano
saxophonist.

That
instrument, a high-register member of the saxophone family, isn’t as common in
jazz as the alto, tenor and baritone instruments, but a few musicians have used
it. (Remember Woody Herman?) Even so, it’s a tough horn from which to get a smooth,
warm, beautiful tone. That’s not a problem for Bloom.

She
began playing the drums and piano as a child, then the alto sax, and settled on
the soprano at age 9. She earned liberal arts and master’s degrees in music
from Yale University. After graduation, she moved to New York City and founded
Outline Records, while simultaneously beginning a career of performing with
masters of the music world.

She’s
an eight-time winner of the Jazz Journalists Association Award; and has won the
Downbeat Critics Poll, the Charlie Parker Award for Jazz Innovation, the
Guggenheim Fellowship in Jazz Composition, the Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz
Award, and many others.

In
short, Bloom is a phenomenon.

This
album, her 16th, includes a baker’s dozen of tunes: twelve of her own compositions
plus the Bernstein/Sondheim hit “Somewhere.” All are performed at balladic
tempos, and all are simply gorgeous.

She’s
backed by bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bobby Previte. With that limited — but
definitely tasteful — support, there’s no place to hide ... not that she needs
to worry about such things. We’re treated, throughout, to her consummate skill,
tone and originality.